The preforming step in a forging process.
Agree with the guy from Ellington , we are going to get some of the development next year, bowl the following...
I've had plenty of time to stew and get over it all now, and I did actually watch the recording again. Terrible camera angles. The reality is that if Newsome doesn't fumble twice, and Boyle doesn't throw that pick, and we actually start fielding punts again - that's how we got our only win so far - we win that game. Even with all the questionable decision making, the questionable coaching, yadda yadda. Simple ball security and field position football, avoiding a terrible throw, and we win. We are not that far away, but the attention to detail in all respects from fundamentals of body position to coaching big picture - is missing. I would love to have an explanation as to why I need to wait 3 seasons to see a football player line up in a decent football position prior to the snap.
I suppose I just have a tough time when it comes to football, thinking about anything but the next game. There is nothing that Diaco said in the press the other day that was inaccurate. There are a lot of things that are improving, and there is plenty of work to be done that can be corrected to get better. The brightest reasons for optimism are the facts that we have a solid, solid group of young players that are going to be together for at least 2 and 3 years - and that will give us plenty of time, to recruit to fill in the holes and gaps that have developed over the past several years going back to really 2008 or so. We also have a coach that is very passionate, energetic, and isn't going anywhere any time soon, and we need that consistency in coaching and recruiting.
I do think the OL continues to get a bad rap at this point, but it's not entirely accurate or precise. They still suck in pass protection and can get beat regularly in 1-1 or stunting situations, but they are getting better, I could not tell from the camera angles for sure, but my impression is that through the course of the season so far, Foley has got them really tightened up with their splits and spacing from where we started to where we are now. That is going to restrict our playbook and what we can do on offense, but that's just what we need to do to have a chance - get good at something, and build from there, and the run blocking has improved dramatically over half a season. The offense is going to see constant pressure coming on all downs for the rest of the season, and that is going to involve blocking from everybody - not just the 5 up front, to make the offense work. The backs, are getting better at picking it up. Whitmer, actually showed threat to run, which will help keep the DE's honest too.
The defense is good, and will only improve. The statistics are skewed because we're not playing powerhouse offenses, but they are solid. They will get a test this next game - I'm looking forward to seeing the D contain that ECU offense.
The only unit, IMNSHO, that hasn't shown significant improvement through the course of half a season is the TE's. The performance of that group, specifically in blocking, has hurt our offense in one way or another consistently through 6 games. That combined with the stuff I see happening macroscale on offense, makes me question not if Diaco is over his head - it's clear Diaco took a big jump into the deep end as a head coach, but is learning on the job, and he's the kind of guy that is going to improve - but I wonder if Cummings is over his head. He's coaching TE"s and OC as far as I can tell, and the progress is lagging - IMNSHO.
I'm probably annoying as hell by now, but I don't care. It all comes back to fundamentals for me. The simple basics of football position, and leverage when it comes to blocking and tackling. The simple basics of ball security.
It's hard for me Duncan, to reason out and accept why we need to wait 3 seasons, to see those fundamental things improve. We lost on Saturday night for only a few reasons. #1. Fumbles. #2. Interception #3.Catching kicks. #4. Poor fundamentals of both blocking and tackling. To me, fixing these things does not take several years. You put the players in simple drills, and do it until they get it right.